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Tottenham have made a mess of handling Marcus Edwards

By Rucker Haringey

ENFIELD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 23: Marcus Edwards of Tottenham Hotspur takes a penalty to score his sides third goal during a Premier League 2 match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur training ground, on October 23, 2017 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
ENFIELD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 23: Marcus Edwards of Tottenham Hotspur takes a penalty to score his sides third goal during a Premier League 2 match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur training ground, on October 23, 2017 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham may have ruined Marcus Edwards

Mauricio Pochettino has done a lot of great things in his Tottenham tenure, but his handling of starlet Marcus Edwards has been an absolute disaster. Whether it’s been comparing him to Lionel Messi or his recent loan to Norwich, the Argentine gaffer has never been able to strike the right chord with the diminutive attacker.

Yesterday, Spurs completed a speedy deal to loan him to the Championship Club for the remainder of the 2017-19 season. Norwich have a whole in their starting XI after the departure of former Tottenham Academy prospect Alex Pritchard. Pochettino and company hope Edwards can slot into his role with the Canaries’ attack.

It’s hard to see this loan move as anything other than desperation. If Pochettino didn’t believe Edwards could impact the senior squad this season, then a loan at the beginning of the season would have been advisable. As it stands, Edwards’ progression has become entirely stagnant playing for the U23 squad this season.

Pochettino is hoping that providing Edwards the challenge of Championship football will help him better understand what behaving like a professional is all about. I suppose that’s possible, but wouldn’t the easiest way to show him how to behave be giving him a bit part in the Tottenham senior squad? It’s not as if Pochettino has been blessed with attacking depth this season. Edwards would have been hard pressed to provide Spurs less impact that Georges-Kevin N’Koudou did.

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It’s very obvious that Pochettino has reached the end of his rope with Edwards and his behaviour. He doesn’t trust him to make an impact at Tottenham, even as a bit-part substitute off the bench. Pochettino is simply running out of ideas and time to reach the young lad. Sending him off to the football wilderness of the Championship is his last roll of the dice.

Edwards now finds himself at a true career crossroads. It’s possible that being banished to Norwich will grab his attention and show him that it’s Pochettino’s way or the highway at Spurs. Unfortunately, that isn’t the most likely outcome. It’s way more likely that Edwards will experience a modicum of success for Norwich and become convinced he already knows what it takes to reach his full potential.

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If the latter occurs, Marcus Edwards’ career at Tottenham will be over before it ever really begins. If Edwards never pans out, the failure will serve as an ugly mark on Pochettino’s sterling career at Spurs.

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